VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Eckerd women's basketball team earned its third win of the season against Columbus State (Ga.), 62-56, to go undefeated at the Valdosta State Thanksgiving Classic Saturday afternoon.
Maya Price got things started for Eckerd, scoring the Tritons' first five points via a jumper in the paint and a 3-pointer. EC shot a healthy 54 percent from the field in the opening quarter, including 44 percent from beyond the arc for a slim lead heading into the second, 19-18.
The Tritons outscored CSU 12-8 in the second behind five points by Sofia Persson, to take a 31-26 lead at intermission.
Eckerd did its damage in the third quarter, shooting a blistering 57 percent from the field and 67 percent from deep. Persson buried two threes in the quarter joined by Ragnheidur Einarsdottir and Cirkeline Rimdal, who had one apiece. Eckerd outscored CSU 24-13 in the third for a 55-39 lead.
The Tritons' offense cooled off in the fourth, but their defense again paved the way for another road win, as EC held CSU to 32 percent shooting in the final stanza.
HOW IT ENDED
FINAL: Eckerd 62, Columbus State 56
RECORDS: Eckerd 3-0; Columbus State 5-2
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Einarsdottir's 18 points set a career-high.
- Persson nearly posted a double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds. She also dished out three assists.
- Price did a bit of everything, logging a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds, as well as two assists and a block.
- Lauryn Vieira nearly had a double-double with seven rebounds and eight assists.
- EC had five players register five or more rebounds: Price (11), Persson (9), Vieira (7), Einarsdottir (6), and Rimdal (5).
- EC had four players earn two or more assists: Vieira (8), Persson (3), Nicole Scales (3), and Price (2).
- EC's defense again shined, holding CSU to shooting 30 percent from the field and 24 percent from the three-point line.
- EC's 10 made 3-pointers are a season-high.
QUOTABLE
"This win capped off a nice weekend for our team," said head coach Paul Honsinger '98. "We faced two quality teams with very different styles, so I was happy to see us make the adjustments needed to win. We helped ourselves offensively today with 18 assists and 10 3-pointers made. We had a well-balanced attack."
UP NEXT
Eckerd returns to conference play for its home-opener against Saint Leo on Wednesday at 5:30 PM.
